{{_ Daily Christian Wisdom
{{_ Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.
{{_ -William Wordsworth}}
The holiest name of God would seem to be the covenant name, often represented in English as Jehovah and denoted in many Bibles as LORD or GOD (upper and lower case caps actually).
It would seem to be derived from "I am" and denotes the only self existent One.
It was a name that the Jews went to extremes to avoid pronouncing (and thus taking God's name in vain through some sort of neglect).
When Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58), the Jewish leaders attempted to stone him to death, considering it blasphemy.
But the Lord's right to the name Jehovah (I am) is shown in John 17:11-12. There are variations in the manuscripts, but "in your name which you have given me" would seem most likely in each verse. And generally the correct teaching of the Trinity would mandate the sharing of the Name.
"Father" is applied particularly to one Person, and can be seen also as an attribute of God.
The title "everlasting Father" prophesied by Isaiah of the Christ in 9:6 may also be translated "father of eternity" which seems more appropriate for the One who has tasted death to bring eternal life to so many.
My Nestle and Marshal interlinear give the literal translation of Ephesians 3:15 as "[the Father] of whom every fatherhood in heavens and on earth is named." God is the source of all fatherhood.
There are four phrases concerning the fatherhood of God that I have found interesting:
KJV Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
KJV Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
KJV 2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
KJV James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Further thoughts:
KJV John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ has become the God and Father of all those that truly believe.
KJV John 16: 23-24 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Believers are instructed to pray to the Father in Jesus' name.
This is at the end of the instructions given prior to the Crucifixion.
